


Sketches

by LeastExpected_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, F/M, Fetish, Humor, Interspecies, Kinks, M/M, Multi, Multiple Partners, Points of View
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-02-04
Updated: 2002-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:27:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26500081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeastExpected_Archivist/pseuds/LeastExpected_Archivist
Summary: By Sandrome."Sketches" is a trilogy a la Douglas Adams, i.e, it comes in n number of parts, depending on your reactions.
Relationships: Aragorn | Estel/Arwen Undómiel, Aragorn | Estel/Elrond Peredhel, Frodo Baggins/Gandalf | Mithrandir, Frodo Baggins/Sam Gamgee
Kudos: 2
Collections: Least Expected





	Sketches

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Amy Fortuna, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Least Expected](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Least_Expected), which has been offline since 2002. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on the [Least Expected collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/leastexpected/profile).
> 
> Disclaimer: I couldn't make money out of it even if I wanted to.  
> Feedback: Yes please.  
> Story Notes: Parts of it are taken from ["No Fear"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26389990), by Mistress Arion, reading which I couldn't help but start "Sketches". No offence on the author of "No Fear"; if you want to know the whole Gandalf-Frodo background, read the latter. This, "Sketches", is sort of a pastiche on that relationship, which, however, does not form the main theme.

Frodo was sitting on Gandalf's lap, meaningfully licking Mithrandir's fingers. And far away, Elrond lay sprawled on his bed, looking, with his head turned, outside of the window at the green palet created by the leaves, which completely covered the sky for him and seemed to be flirting with the evening sun itself. 

He sighed and turned his head, and saw Aragorn sitting on a low wooden stool, the tip of his sheath in the crack in the floor. Aragorn raised his eyes and looked at Elrond. 

They were silent like this for maybe half an hour, only the shadows of the leaves waving slightly under the outside breeze. 

'Well, listen' Elrond sat up and leaned on his left arm. Aragorn left the reply unsaid. 

"You are enjoying the tranquillity, Elfstone." Aragorn's eyes lowered, and he looked at the floor. 

Outside there was the soft warmth and longing of the summer's evening. The sun was low, but it appeared to stand not moving, rolling in it's own stillness. 

"I envy you, Strider." Spoke Elrond's look. 

"Sometimes I myself, Elrond, cannot believe how fortunate I am." 

They raised their eyes and met each other's gazes. 

'The sun is lowering. My journey is long, and close, I fear, is the time when all shall have to make earth their sleeping place. I wish you farewell, Elrond, may your plans work.' He finished already near the door. 

Elrond didn't say anything in return. He half-lay on the bed, his back to the window, and it looked as though his eyes reflected the leaves. These games of light and shadows created in them a subtle, slightly humorous, strange expression. 

Aragorn held a smile, but did not let it go unnoticed in the silent dialogue. 

"I will say goodbye to your daughter now." 

"About time." 

"Get that hopeful grin off your face, Elrond, I _will_ be back." 

This time Elrond smiled openly. Aragorn opened the door and, glancing back at the elf, left. 

* * *

Up a hill in hobbiton stands a house with a round green door, and at that particular midday it contained inside it two beings, actively involved in foreplay. And up the lawn to the house in big strides walked the Strider. 

The Strider was actively involved in his own thoughts, which at that moment happened to be about the affairs at Rohan. He was so into it that he noticed neither the multiple cheeky Black-Rider's spies arranged in the bushes around him, nor the little path that led to door of his destination and screamed to be walked upon, contrasting so with the tenderly cared-for lawn. Needless it is to say that his hearing was immune to the heavy breathing coming from the open window. 

He blinked, focusing, seeing a wall in front of him, and then realised that he must have missed the door in his musings. To the right was the window, and he smiled, open-heartedly, and quickly walked to it, wanting to see the hobbit, or Gandalf, for that matter. 

The breathing reached him, and he slowed and cautiously looked inside. And inside, there was Gandalf, taking the entire small hobbit's sofa, passionately tongue kissing Frodo, who sat on the wizard's knees. 

Aragorn's silhouette instantaneously disappeared from the window. He squatted on the grass, looking down through it, and tried to reason, but was interrupted: 

'Oh, Frodo! But I don't want to hurt you! You are so small!' 

"You bet he's small! Fucking pedophiliac." 

'That's all right, Gandalf!' 

There was a pause now, the only sounds being some shuffling of clothes. 

Aragorn swallowed, his eyes slightly wider. 

'oooOOOH' Exploded from the window, 'Come, Frodo, come, Frodo, come, for me!' 

"Go, team!..." Aragorn smirked, then "the bugga's awizard, and playin' at that!" 

The moans, however, now shaped themselves in words. 

'Oh, Frodo, have you ever done this before?' 

'Oh, Gandalf, only with Sam!  
Is thaa'okkeeyy?' 

'Ha-ha, sure. And now, _I_ want to come! 

"Oh, fuck, no..." Aragorn managed to say to himself between the laughs. 

* * *

Several months have passed. In this place the gold of the autumn has come and withered away, leaving the lonely traveller that walked through the forest, jumping stale water puddles in his high boots from, wonder, if anybody will ever see those colours again. Crows were silent, only some strange black birds dared a cry. 

The man was walking east, cape to the heels behind him, hand clutching the handle of a sword. He smiled to himself unwillingly and unexpectedly at the thought of Bree, the yellow windows, the smoke from the pipes circling the air. 

At that thought he laughed, suddenly remembering how Elrond was mockingly worried about Aragorn's thoughts of pipe smoke. 

Bree was near by now, only one more day. 

* * *

It was ten in the morning, and the hobbits were merry. Pippin sang to himself as he walked, and Merry enjoyed the sight of this, walking close and hearing the rhythm.  
Pam -pa, pam -pa, pa-pam -pa, pam -pa. 

'You guys,' Frodo turned back to them, continuing to walk fast through the grove, 'all right?' 

Pippin, who was tapping the rhythm on the bag that he carried over the shoulder, nodded,  
head moving in tact with it. Frodo yawned and covered his mouth, glancing over to the right to check on Sam. Sam offered him a brief smile, and Frodos eyes unwillingly lingered on the younger hobbit. The latter looked at him for a second too, but then raised his eyes heavenward. Frodo turned back, lips slightly curved. 

Through the dark forest they walked, trees thin but black, not a single leaf in this damp morning, when no sun was shining, and the clouds only several hundred feet high. Their whole world consisted of the low grey sky with the occasional whirling here and there, the trees, and the uneven marshy earth, that, though, as they moved more eastward, was firmer, and dried... 

* * *

"Gandalf just asked Frodo to be his friend and partner in all things." 

"As I foresaw, the Third Age in coming to an end. Did you at least speak with him?" 

"I left! I left like a weakling when Gandalf brought out the cooking oil!" 

"I dont believe it! Are you ill, Aragorn?" 

* * *

When, at about midday, Gandalf came into Elronds room, he found its host lying on the bed, and the Strider sitting in a chair, elbows resting on his knees, hands hanging down. His head was lowered, yet still Gandalf got the impression they were talking silently before he entered. Elrond looked at him. 

'How is he?' 

'He woke up, but sleep overtook him again. He asked about what had happened, and I had not the power to refuse him.' 

Aragorn did not lift up his head, which seemed strange to Gandalf, but Elrond welcomingly pointed with his hand to another chair. 

'Sit, Gandalf, my friend.' 

Gandalf sat down and, by the light now falling on the side of the elfs face, saw that the latter nearly had circles under his eyes. Elrond smiled at Gandalf, the sun forming shadows. Aragorn finally looked up, and Elrond saw that he was trying very hard not to smile. 

'I want to thank the Elf lord for what he did to Frodo. Without it this brave hobbit would have long been in the realms of the dead.' Elrond just continued to smile, and Gandalf turned to Aragorn, who didnt seem to mind the wizards apparent loss of memory. 'And you, Aragorn, son of Arathorn, I thank with all my heart. Who knows, maybe in that hobbit lies our hope...' 

Aragorn didnt say anything. Then, when the silence brought about by the wizards words lasted for over a minute, he looked at Elrond and then at Gandalf. 

'I hear you sons are coming, Elf lord' Said Gandalf. 

'I think.' Elrond and Aragorn exchanged glances that spoke for many words of necessary action. 

"So, tell us about the hobbit then." Said Elrond casually which made Gandalf give him a quick look. "Come now, we know." 

"How much." 

"We know as far as the cooking oil." 

"Bastards." Gandalf shook his head. 

"But thats perfectly ok with us" Continued Elrond. "For we know that we will understand when well get to your age." 

"Hope, Gandalf, is the last one to die. Well, as you know from your experience." 

"Oh," Retorted Gandalf, "why play the fools? I love him, know that!" 

"Well, I should hope so, after asking him to be your partner for life eternal." 

"Very convenient by the way, because there probably _are_ only several moths left." 

"What? Do you disapprove? Dont tell me that you disapprove, I saw the way you look at each other, every time I see you, Aragorn, you are here, and Elrond is lying on the bed. So dont pick me out, if you want to talk dirty, protect your glass house first." 

"... I didnt quite get the last part" 

"Me neither. But thats an interesting idea. Gandalf, do you think..." 

"He thinks?" 

"Shhh, Strider, thats a sure way to die." Said Elrond. 

"Forgive me." 

Gandalf glared at him, then resumed the conversation topic. 

"Yes, I think, Elrond. From my experience..." He waited for Aragorn to calm down again. "Speaking from many years of experience..." Instead of stopping, Aragorn covered his face with his hands. "What you have is what I have with Frodo, whom I love." 

Elrond first continued to look at him kindly, then turned to Aragorn. 

"Strider, come here." 

Aragorn got up, walked to the bed and sat in front of Elrond. The Elf lord lifted himself on his left hand, and with the other encircled Aragorns waist. The smile faded from Gandalfs face. Elrond smiled at that: 

"Bit of a voyeurist, are we?" 

"I am not. Stop smirking, Aragorn, son of Arathorn. I know what you yet have to find out. I wandered" -his voice was serious now- 'from place to place, and the only thing I find? Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities. Births, and deaths, the change of the seasons. And I have come to the conclusion: eat, drink, and be merry. And if you find love, hold onto it.' 

Silence was what he heard for an answer, and than Aragorns half mocking, half serious voice: 

'Gandalf the Preacher...' 

"Youll learn..." 

"Be careful on what you say aloud. You can be quoted on that. Even the walls have ears." Said Elrond. 

At that Aragorn shivered from silent laughter and Elronds hand hugged him tighter. 

"So I have learned." Replied Gandalf gloomily. 

A smile showed on the Striders face: 

"Really? Gandalf the Gray solves the Mystery of walls?!..." 

Elrond lowered his head. Now that the hair covered his face, he joined Aragorn. The latter felt the hand around him shake, and had another attack. He sat there, hands on his face, nearly crying from the happiness of the moment. 

'Enough!' suddenly roared Gandalf, and a breeze swept the room, coming from the open window, making the candle light quiver. 

"Did I hear Gandalf say enough? Unbelievable, Elrond! In my experience..." 

"You soon will have an experience!" Gandalf roared again. 

Elrond looked up. Under the stare of his gray eyes the wizard quieted, and soon Aragorn, to whom the last comment only provided reasons to continue, stopped. Seeing through the fingers that Gandalf calmed, he took his hands away from his face. Then he stood up, placing Elrond's hand back on the bed. 

'I shall leave you now, for there is a star shining in the dark sky of the unknown future, that I long to see.' 

"You do know what he does with your daughter, dont you, Elrond?" 

"You mean they..." And, when Gandalf nodded, Elrond turned to the leaving Strider: 

"Well, didnt know you had that in you!" 

"What..." 

"The potential." 

"Ah." 

Gandalfs head fell on his hands. 

"You know what your problem is, Gandalf?" Instead of leaving, started Aragorn, "You are too serious." 

"If you are serious you are bound to make mistakes." Added Elrond. 

"Which means you will have a hard time surviving our journey." There was a stray sad note in the Striders last sentence. Elrond lifted his eyes from Gandalf to him: 

"Dont forget that he is probably immortal... Unfortunately." 

"Wouldn't you just hate him?" said the Strider to Gandalf, and pointed at Elrond, "Every time spoiling your mood like that?" 

And with that, Aragorn left. 

* * *

'In his wanderings Gandalf just reached the kitchen.' said Elrond casually, sitting down at the small table in the guestroom where Aragorn was staying. "You will have a quiet journey..." They sat still for several minutes, waiting for the wizard to pass them on his way back through the corridors. After the white clothes flowed past, Elrond turned his head and asked: "Dont you want something more ...efficient?" 

The wizard stopped and walked backwards until he had enough of Elrond in view to give him the meanest glance, and then disappeared again. 

'You talked to them.' Stated Elrond, looking at the Strider. 

'Indeed. Yet many need to hear your decisions.' 

'Excellent. Excellent.' Elrond was absently repeating, looking through the table. 

Aragorn kept the silence, trying to lose himself in the thoughts of the battles to come, yet his thoughts returned to that time and that place. 'Shall we, Elissar?' Elronds voice stopped his transitions, as he automatically stood up and looked the elf. 'Yes' He answered, and followed Elrond to wherever he was leading him. 

They walked in to Elronds room and climbed on the bed. There was still some glowing in the fireplace, it threw soft yellow light on the walls and on the patterned bed cover, making the shapes on the wool look irregular. Aragorn and Elrond sat opposite each other, leaning their backs against the wall of the small niche, and stretched their legs. 

'Which one?' Finally asked Aragorn after looking at Elrond for a long time. 

The elf brought one leg up and circled it with his arms. 

'The worst one' 

'As I see it now, only the worst one can save us.' 

'Solely because it is the only one which can be realized.' 

'And him?' 

'Would you take it, Aragorn?' 

'You know I would. And then I would change, and then nothing will be left.' 

Elrond watched him, and said with a strange expression: 

'But nothing... will be left anyway if ...this all ends. No more Gondor, Rivendell, -? ents... You...' 

One of the logs burst, and sparks flew up, and it fell. 

Aragorn smiled: 

'As Gandalf the philosopher says, we are here, and it is now.' 

Elrond smiled too, looking at him: 

"Interesting suggestion." 

"Oh, _do_ shut up and try to look sad!" 

The smiles faded. There was warmth in their eyes, though, as they looked at the dark-green and light-green and blue colored squares on the bed cover. 

'I shall go.' 

'I'd love you to stay.' 

'Yet I shall go, Elrond, whether you meant now or then.' 

Elrond nodded. The Strider got up and stood by the bed. 

'Any messages for your daughter?' 

'You bugger...' Elrond couldn't help laughing. 'Will you leave at last?' 

'The logic of a half-elven. Lets try to survive without each other for five hours. Feeling up to the challenge, Elrond?' 

'Gandalfs theory will have an inconsistency this morning. 

Aragorn gave him a last glance and left. Elrond sprawled back, one knee still bent, and lay with opened eyes for a while before falling asleep.


End file.
